“Well, you’ve all certainly looked better,” the woman spoke. She had a coarse voice, as though she’d swallowed sand. “Edwyn and Yasha, lovely to see you both. And thank you for coming back to the Sea so soon. I hope I’m not keeping you from pleasanter travels.”

“Nonsense. We’re happy to be of service,” Edwyn said brightly, while Tadg still glared at him for his good mood.

“And Runa,” the woman huffed, “it took you long enough! Don’t you know better than to keep an old woman waiting?”

Runa rested her hands on Barclay’s and Viola’s shoulders. “Orla, these are my three apprentices—Viola Dumont, Barclay Thorne, and you know Tadg.”

Orla smiled. She was missing half her teeth. “Of course, the grouchy Murdock boy. And Viola, I’ve heard a lot about you from your father.”

“You have?” Viola said nervously.

“Mostly good things, I promise— And Barclay. I don’t know you at all. Where are you from?”

Barclay’s face went hot. “Um…”

“Barclay is from an Elsewheres village near the Woods,” Runa answered for him. Feeling the curious eyes of Ulick, Yasha, and Edwyn on him, Barclay flushed all the fiercer.

“Quite a journey!” Orla said. “And Barclay, you have a little something on your face.”

Barclay had forgotten that the Gunkwort was still stuck to his cheek like a giant silver zit.

“No, don’t fuss with it. It’ll let go when it’s ready. And believe me, no one around here is a stranger to Gunkwort. You can take my word for that! I’m Orla Scudder, the High Keeper of the Sea.”

Barclay had only ever met one High Keeper, Kasimir Erhart from the Woods. Erhart had been so desperate for money that he’d ignored his benefactor Soren Reiker’s crimes… like the two times Soren had attacked Barclay and tried to steal Root. Erhart had only punished Soren for his wrongdoings after Soren had tried to bond with Gravaldor and almost destroyed the entire Woods in the process.

After all that, Barclay wasn’t sure he should trust Orla. But Runa, who despised Erhart, seemed pleased to see her, so Orla must’ve been a better High Keeper.

“Nice to meet you,” Barclay said politely.

“Let’s get you all inside and fed,” Orla said. “Death could catch you out here, you know.”

“You mean that we could ‘catch our deaths,’ ” corrected Viola.

Orla shrugged. “That too.”

Then, very slowly, they followed Orla down the trail until they reached the town of Munsey. Despite feeling tired and sorry for himself, Barclay was eager to get a glimpse of this new, exciting place. But it was dark except for the lampposts, which, strangely, had no fire in them. Instead, they were filled with water that glowed with dreamy blue speckles of light.